Rufous mouse opossum
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox
The rufous mouse opossum (Marmosa lepida) or little rufous mouse opossum[1] is an opossum species from South America. The species has been found in Bolivia, French Guinea, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname in lowland tropical rainforest at altitudes from Template:Cvt.[1] It is presumed to feed on insects and fruit, like its close relatives.[1]
It is considered a monotype. It is smaller in size and has a brighter red colored fur, distinguishing it from other congeners.[2]
Though the species has been known for over a century, very few specimens have been studied, most of these from areas below Template:Cvt and taken from western edges of the Amazon basin and Guianas. Its dorsal pelage is reddish-brown and its ventral pelage is grayish. Researchers believe this coloring is product of adaptation to a humid forest environment.[2]